RESIDENTS are to examine plans to demolish one of Darlington's most prominent Victorian properties and replace it with 24 apartments.

Mandale Commercial, of Stockton, has applied to Darlington Borough Council for planning permission to demolish The Gatehouse, in Barmpton Lane, and build three apartment blocks each housing eight flats.

The three-storey blocks will include a basement level below ground, and the proposed site access is on the west side from Barmpton Lane.

Planning officer David McGaughey said: "The Gatehouse is not in a conservation area but a number of trees are subject to preservation orders and the planning department will be looking at these."

The site was put up for sale towards the end of last year and attracted dozens of inquiries.

Christine Millman, who lives in Barmpton Lane, opposite the proposed access to the site and said her initial reaction to the plans was not optimistic.

She said: "My husband and I have not seen the plans yet but our initial worry is about the density of the site. We don't want to looking out on to a wall.

"We are also concerned about the access to the site and the traffic that could be generated. We are sort of stuck on the end of the cul de sac here and there isn't a lot of access.

"It is such a small plot for three apartment blocks and the possible loss of the trees is a worry."

The Gatehouse, which stands in half an acre of grounds on the corner of Barmpton Lane and Whinfield Road, has stood empty for two years. The home is covered by a covenant from the 1970s which restricts it to domestic use.

Seven residents who live around The Gatehouse control the covenant and allowed it to be altered in 1987 to allow the building to be turned into a residential care home.

However, in 2003, the residents were prepared to serve an injunction to stop a conversion of the home into a children's nursery, having complained that a nursery would cause more traffic and problems with parking and noise.

Stuart McDougall, who lives in Gatehouse Close and is one of the residents who controls the covenant, said: "I only received notification of plans on Tuesday so it would be unfair to comment on them. However, I will be going to see them.

"The restrictive covenant was put in place to prevent over-development of the site."

Coun Tom Nutt said a number of residents had commented that the building was an eyesore but said he had not received any comments on the plans so far.